Picture processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A picture processing apparatus includes a window memory (6) connected to a CRT controller (6) and having a size corresponding to a frame memory (2) storing a picture to be processed. A bit pattern for specifying the validity or invalidity of processing performed by a processor (1) is stored in the window memory (6), and picture processing is performed only with regard to picture data of the bits indicative of validity.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to copending application Ser. No. 52,049,filed Apr. 10, 1987, and assigned to the assignee of the subjectapplication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to an apparatus for processing a picturedisplayed on a display device such as a CRT display. More particularly,the invention relates to a picture processing apparatus so adapted thatpicture processing for feature recognition of an object in the picturecan be limited by a window pattern.

2. Background Art

The state of an operation performed by an industrial robot or the likecan be photographed by a video camera and displayed on a display device.In a conventional picture processing apparatus, the picture from thevideo camera is stored in a buffer memory such as a frame memory havinga storage area corresponding to the display frame, and discrimination ofthe position of an object contained in the picture data and recognitionof the shape of the object are realized by executing predeterminedpicture processing with regard to all information in the frame memory.

With the conventional picture processing apparatus of this type, thereare cases where the desired results can be obtained without performingprocessing with regard to all picture data in the frame memory. However,in a case where picture processing is executed by a picture processorfor picture data stored in a frame memory, picture processing based onall data in the designated frame memory is unavoidable since theprocessor does not have an area limiting function. Consequently,complicated data processing such as filtering processing is accompaniedby an increase in working memory capacity or prolonged processing time,thus making efficient picture processing impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been devised in order to solve theaforementioned problem and its object is to provide a picture processingapparatus in which the validity or invalidity of processing isdesignated for every pixel of picture information by using a windowmemory having a size corresponding to a frame memory, whereby highlyefficient picture processing can be realized.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pictureprocessing apparatus for displaying on a display device a pictureobtained from a sensor, the apparatus including a processor forperforming picture processing, a frame memory for storing a picture tobe processed, a window memory of a size corresponding to the framememory for storing a bit pattern for designating the validity orinvalidity of processing performed by the processor, and a controlcircuit for writing picture data into the frame memory, for reading outof the frame memory picture data of a bit pattern indicative ofvalidity, and for displaying the picture data on the display device.

In the picture processing apparatus according to the present inventionconstructed as set forth above, a bit pattern specifying the validity orinvalidity of processing performed by the processor is stored in thewindow memory in a size corresponding to the frame memory, so thatpicture processing can be executed while reference is made to theeffective bits. Accordingly, processing speed can be raised and a memoryof large capacity is unnecessary even for complicated data processingsuch as filtering processing. This makes it possible to perform highlyefficient picture processing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a picture processingapparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one example of the CRT controller 6 used inthe picture processing apparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference tothe drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a picture processing apparatus according tothe invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram for describing an exampleof the internal construction of a CRT controller used in the pictureprocessing apparatus of the invention.

In FIG. 1, numeral 1 denotes a processor for performing pictureprocessing. The processor is connected to a frame memory 2, a pluralityof which are provided for storing picture data two-dimensionally asplural horizontal and vertical pixel data. Numeral 3 denotes an ADconverter for converting an analog picture from a video camera into adigital signal, and for writing the digital signal into the frame memory2 via a bus transmitter/receiver 4.

Numeral 5 denotes a window memory, the size of which corresponds to theframe memory 2, storing a bit pattern for specifying the validity orinvalidity of picture processing executed by the processor 1. The windowmemory 5 is connected to a CRT controller 6 having a graphic controlfunction, and to the processor 1.

The CRT controller 6 is a control circuit which functions to generate asynchronizing signal in order that picture data will be accepted fromthe video camera, to store pictures in the frame memory 2 one frame at atime, and to read a predetermined picture from the frame memory 2 to adisplay device (CRT), not shown. The CRT controller 6 is connected to amain bus 8 of a host CPU 7 and, in response to a command specified bythe host CPU 7, functions to generate a bit pattern stored in the windowmemory 5 or to translate or rotate a stored bit pattern to apredetermined position.

Further, numeral 9 denotes a bus transmitter/receiver similar to the bustransmitter/receiver 4 and connected to a DMA bus 10, which is capableof performing a high-speed transfer of pixel data with the frame memory2, and to the data bus 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, the CRT controller 6 comprises three processorscontrolled independently by a microprogram, namely a graphic processor11, a display processor 12 and a timing processor 13, as well as aninterface 14 on the side of the host CPU 7, and an interface 15 on theside of the CRT.

The graphic processor 11 interprets commands/parameters transferred fromthe host CPU 7 and performs graphic processing with respect to thewindow memory 5. Specifically, the graphic processor 11 is capable ofsuccessively generating graphic addresses based on a graphic generatingalgorithm and of performing data processing with regard to thedesignated pixels of the picture data. The display processor 12 controlsthe display address of the frame memory 2 in dependence upon the frameform displayed on the CRT. The timing processor 13 generates a CRTsynchronizing signal as well as various timing signals required withinthe controller 6.

The interface 14 on the side of the host CPU 7 has an asynchronous businterface control function which renders the interface connectable to ageneral-purpose microprocessor, to a control function for a DMAcontroller, and to a write-in control function. The interface 14 iscapable of writing a bit pattern from the host CPU 7 into the windowmemory 5, and of reading out the bit pattern for the purpose ofrewriting the same. The interface 15 on the CRT side is for inputtingand outputting a synchronizing control signal and picture data signalwith regard to the video camera and CRT, and is capable of switchingbetween a write address and a display address in dependence upon variousoperating modes.

In the picture processing apparatus of the illustrated embodimentconstructed as set forth above, a bit pattern specifying the validity orinvalidity of processing performed by the picture processor 1 is storedin the window memory 5 in a size corresponding to the frame memory.Therefore, when the processor 1 accesses predetermined picture data inthe frame memory 2 and performs picture processing for featurerecognition of an object in a picture, the picture processing can beexecuted by the processor while it refers to the valid bits. Inaddition, the bit pattern limited by the pattern of the window memorycan be rotated or translated by the CRT controller 6 in response to acommand from the host CPU 7, so that it is possible to modify or set apattern with ease from the CRT controller whenever necessary while it isdisplayed on the display device.

Thus, as described above, the picture processing apparatus of theinvention stores a window pattern, which in the prior art was set in aframe memory, in the window memory the size of which corresponds to theframe memory connected to the CRT controller, and the validity orinvalidity of processing is specified for every pixel of the picturedata. This makes it possible to raise processing speed. In addition, alarge-capacity memory for such complicated data processing as filteringprocessing is unnecessary. The end result is that highly efficientpicture processing can be realized.

It should be noted that the picture processing apparatus of the presentinvention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment, and the CRTcontroller can be constructed in a variety of ways. Further, the settingof a window pattern may be predetermined in accordance with the featuresof the object to be processed in a picture. Thus, it goes without sayingthat various modifications can be made.

As set forth above, the picture processing apparatus of the invention isadapted in such a manner that a bit pattern for specifying the validityor invalidity of picture processing performed by a processor is storedin a window memory of a size corresponding to a frame memory, and thevalidity or invalidity of processing is specified for each pixel of thepicture data. This makes it possible to raise processing speed.Accordingly, the invention is suited for application to a display devicefor displaying the state of an operation performed by an industrialrobot.

What is claimed is:
 1. A picture processing apparatus for processing apicture obtained from a sensor to produce data to be displayed on adisplay device, comprising:a processor for performing pictureprocessing; a frame memory, coupled to the sensor and said processor,for storing a picture to be processed; a window memory, coupled to saidprocessor and of a size corresponding to said frame memory, for storing,as a bit pattern, window information for specifying validity orinvalidity of processing performed by said processor; and a controlcircuit, coupled to said frame memory and said window memory, forwriting picture data, as converted to a digital value, into said framememory, for generating graphic addresses based on the bit pattern storedin said window memory, for reading out of said frame memory processeddata to be displayed for pixels of graphic data corresponding to validbits, and for producing data to be displayed on said display device. 2.A picture processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidcontrol circuit is coupled to a host computer which provides a commandparameter, wherein said control circuit has a graphic generatingalgorithm for generating a predetermined graphic pattern accoridng to acommand parameter provided by the host computer, wherein said windowmemory stores, as plural pieces of window information, bit patternsproduced by translating or rotating the predetermined graphic pattern,and wherein said control circuit specifies validity or invalidity ofprocessing performed on each picture in said frame memory by referringto window information specified by the host computer.